Last updated: 22 October 2026. We refresh this page every week, and more often when a big strike day is coming.
The short version: no transport strike is announced in France for the rest of October. The next big date is Thursday 5 November 2026, a national strike and protest day called by the CFDT, CGT, FO, UNSA and FSU union confederations. Four SNCF unions, CGT-Cheminots, UNSA-Ferroviaire, SUD-Rail and CFDT-Cheminots, are calling rail staff to strike that day, so expect fewer TGV, Intercités, TER and Transilien trains. As of 22 October, no RATP strike notice covers 5 November, we found no air traffic control or airline strike notice for that day, and the DGAC (France's civil aviation authority) has not asked airlines to cut flights. SNCF publishes its train plan the day before.
Status on 22 October 2026
| Date | What | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Until 25 October | Metro line 2 interrupted between Père Lachaise and Barbès-Rochechouart for works | Paris |
| Sundays through November | Metro line 6 closed between Charles de Gaulle-Étoile and La Motte-Picquet-Grenelle for works, replacement buses | Paris |
| Until 2 November | Toussaint school holidays: full trains, book early | Nationwide |
| Tuesday 3 November | Rail unions' rally at SNCF headquarters in Saint-Denis, the day of a pay meeting with SNCF management; the strike call can change after it | Saint-Denis, north of Paris |
| Thursday 5 November | National strike and protest day; four SNCF unions call rail staff out | Nationwide |
| Thursday 5 November | RATP (Paris metro, RER A and B, buses): no strike notice yet | Paris region |
| Thursday 5 November | Flights: no air traffic control or airline strike notice found; no DGAC request to cut flights | All French airports |
| Pending | Airline pilot and cabin crew strike of 17 to 21 October: suspended on 9 October and did not happen; unions may file a new notice if the promised pension decree is late | All French airports |
Sources: the joint rail unions' statement, "Le 3 novembre rassemblés, le 5 en grève" (UNSA-Ferroviaire, 15 October), TourMaG, 16 October, Sortir à Paris, updated 20 October and InfosTourisme, 14 October.
Plans for a strike day are published the evening before, and station closures on protest days are announced on the day. The SNCF and RATP apps, your map app and your airline's rebooking only reach you in the street if you have mobile data there.
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Thursday 5 November: what we know
Who calls it. The five main union confederations (CFDT, CGT, FO, UNSA and FSU) called a national strike and protest day for Thursday 5 November on 5 October, over wages, pensions and the 2027 state and social security budgets. Teachers' unions are relaying the call.
Trains (SNCF). In a joint statement of 15 October, CGT-Cheminots, UNSA-Ferroviaire, SUD-Rail and CFDT-Cheminots call rail staff to strike on 5 November, after a rally at SNCF headquarters in Saint-Denis on Tuesday 3 November. They ask for a general pay rise, higher bonuses and an extra month's pay. A united call from all four is rare. SNCF has not published any traffic forecast yet: rail staff must declare 48 hours ahead whether they will strike, and SNCF usually publishes its plan for each line the evening before. TGV, Intercités, TER, Transilien and RER lines run by SNCF can all be affected. A pay meeting with SNCF management on 3 November could change the call, so check again that evening.
Paris metro, RER A and B, buses (RATP). No RATP strike notice for 5 November as of 22 October. The open-ended CGT-RATP notice from 28 September still lets staff strike on any day, so read RATP's forecast on the evening of 4 November. Expect stations along the Paris march route to close at police request, as on earlier protest days.
Flights. We found no strike notice from air traffic controllers, pilots or cabin crew for 5 November, and the DGAC has not asked airlines to cut flights. Controllers must declare 48 hours ahead whether they will strike, so any DGAC request would come around 3 November. Airport staff can still join the national strike locally. The bigger risk for most travelers is the trip to the airport if trains are cut: leave early, and have a road backup for Charles de Gaulle and Orly.
Marches. A Paris march is expected, with the route not published yet, and rallies in other cities. Avoid the route, especially in the evening.
Saturday 17 October: what happened
The numbers. The Interior Minister, Laurent Nuñez, counted 550,000 marchers nationwide and 110,000 in Paris; the CGT and the other organizers claimed about 800,000. Yellow vests, high school and university students, unions, farmers, and taxi and ride-hailing drivers marched together against fuel prices and the cost of living. About 400 people were arrested.
Paris. The march went from Place de la République to Place de Clichy. In the evening, shops were looted around République, on Rue Beaurepaire, near the Madeleine and Les Halles, and cars and a motorbike showroom were set on fire. The mayor, Emmanuel Grégoire, said "entire streets" had been "methodically ravaged".
Other cities. Violence was reported in more than twenty cities, among them Lyon (a tourist office annex set on fire), Marseille (a police station damaged and the town hall entered), and Limoges, whose historic town hall burned. President Macron said those who broke, looted and attacked town halls "will be prosecuted and punished".
Transport on the day. RATP and SNCF were not on strike, but RATP closed 25 Paris metro stations at police request (around the Champs-Élysées, Concorde, Opéra, Bastille and along the march), access to Marseille Saint-Charles station was closed in the afternoon, Strasbourg station closed briefly, and protesters blocked roads in many regions, among them the A10 near Tours and the Chaban-Delmas bridge in Bordeaux. Sources: franceinfo live, 17 October, ICI live, 17 October and Sortir à Paris, the 25 closed stations.
Paris metro, RER, bus and tram
No RATP strike announced, for this week or for 5 November. The open-ended notice the CGT-RATP union filed from 28 September (Sortir à Paris, 22 September) still allows staff to strike on any day, so keep checking the evening forecast.
Station closures on protest days. Since the student protests began on 21 September 2026, RATP has closed stations along march routes at police request, usually a few hours ahead. Expect the same on 5 November.
Works.
- Line 2 is interrupted between Père Lachaise and Barbès-Rochechouart until 25 October.
- Line 6 closes on Sundays through November between Charles de Gaulle-Étoile and La Motte-Picquet-Grenelle, with replacement buses.
- République is not served on line 8 until April 2027.
- Saint-Michel is not served on line 4 until 19 December.
- Several RER and Transilien sections close late in the evening on weekdays.
Where to check: RATP publishes its forecast for the next day in the evening, on ratp.fr traffic information and in the Bonjour RATP app.
Trains (SNCF)
No SNCF strike this week. The Toussaint holidays run until 2 November 2026, so trains are full: book seats early.
Thursday 5 November: strike called by four unions (see above). If you have a train that day, SNCF Connect will show a cancellation on your booking once the plan is out, usually the evening before; a cancelled ticket can be exchanged or refunded free of charge. If your trip can move, 4 or 6 November is the safer choice. Note that SNCF launches its new TGV M on Paris to Marseille that same week, with first passengers reported for 9 November.
Where to check: SNCF Connect shows cancellations on your booking, and the train's own status page shows live changes.
Flights
- Airline crews, 17 to 21 October: did not happen. The pilot and cabin crew strike at French airlines (Air France, Transavia France, Corsair and others) was suspended on 9 October, after the government promised a new decree on the pension rule behind it. As far as we can find, the decree has still not been published, and the unions say they may file a new notice if it is late. Crews must tell their airline 48 hours ahead that they will strike, so airlines usually publish their flight plan the day before. Background and your rights: France flight strike, 17 to 21 October 2026.
- 5 November: no air strike notice found as of 22 October (see above).
- Getting to the airport on a strike or protest day. Leave extra time for the road to Charles de Gaulle or Orly, and check whether the RER B is running before you rely on it.
Other cities
On the big protest days of September and October (The Connexion, 5 October), city networks were cut or diverted in Strasbourg, Nancy, Marseille and elsewhere. Some city operators publish their plan for a strike day about 48 hours ahead. If you are visiting a regional city on 5 November, check the local operator's site in the morning: RTM in Marseille, CTS in Strasbourg, TCL in Lyon.
Heading to Strasbourg or Colmar for the Christmas markets? The 2026 dates and the train between the two are in our Christmas markets in France guide.
Getting around on a strike day
- Check before you leave, not at the station: forecasts and closures are published online first.
- Keep a map app open. Citymapper and Google Maps reroute around closed stations and lines.
- Have a backup. Vélib bikes, taxis and ride-hailing apps usually keep running when the metro does not, although prices and waits go up, and drivers may join the protest themselves.
- Avoid march routes, especially in the evening. Follow police instructions.
Every one of these needs a working connection in the street, often at the moment the station Wi-Fi is out of reach. Having your own mobile data is what makes a strike day an inconvenience rather than a lost afternoon. A France trip is covered by our Europe eSIM, one plan across 30 countries: eSIM for Europe. Arriving by air? Our guides cover the free Wi-Fi and SIM options at Charles de Gaulle and Orly.
FAQ
Is there a strike in France this week?
Not on the trains, the Paris metro or flights: as of 22 October 2026, no transport strike is announced for the rest of October. The next big date is Thursday 5 November 2026.
Is there an SNCF strike on 5 November 2026?
Yes. CGT-Cheminots, UNSA-Ferroviaire, SUD-Rail and CFDT-Cheminots are calling rail staff to strike on Thursday 5 November 2026, the same day as a national strike and protest day. SNCF publishes which trains run the evening before; a cancelled ticket is exchanged or refunded free.
Will the Paris metro run on 5 November?
Probably, with closures. As of 22 October 2026, RATP has no strike notice for 5 November, but it usually closes stations along the march route at police request on protest days. Check ratp.fr or the Bonjour RATP app on the evening of 4 November.
Will flights in France be cancelled on 5 November?
As of 22 October 2026, we found no air traffic control or airline strike notice for 5 November, and the DGAC has not asked airlines to cut flights. The main risk is getting to the airport if trains are cut.
What happened in France on 17 October 2026?
A national day of protest against fuel prices and the cost of living. The Interior Ministry counted 550,000 marchers, 110,000 in Paris; organizers said 800,000. Looting and fires followed in Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Limoges and other cities, and about 400 people were arrested.
Is it safe to travel to France with the protests?
Yes, for most trips. The violence on 17 October was concentrated along march routes and in city centres in the evening. Stay away from marches, check the news on protest days, and follow police instructions.
Did the French flight strike of 17 to 21 October happen?
No. It was suspended on 9 October and did not take place. Unions say they could file a new notice if the promised pension decree is not published.
Facts checked on 22 October 2026 against the joint SNCF unions' statement published by UNSA-Ferroviaire, TourMaG, Sortir à Paris, InfosTourisme, the franceinfo and ICI live coverage of 17 October and the SNPNC-FO union statement. Strike plans change quickly: always check the operator before you travel.